The use of IT systems in organizing warehouse work has become commonplace. The variety of available software that supports this area of a company’s operations means that firms face the problem of which system to purchase and what to be guided by when choosing software. One of the criteria that customers use when selecting an IT system provider is the company’s experience and knowledge in the field of designing and implementing comprehensive warehouse IT systems. They also expect the provider to offer consulting on the implementation of software and hardware for the warehouse, as well as assistance in defining functionality tailored to the realities and specifics of the warehouse in their enterprise.
There are many ready-made (off-the-shelf) systems available on the market dedicated to warehouses that are part of/a module of an ERP class system, overlays for ERP class systems, and simple warehouse applications. Each of the available options is intended for a different client, depending on the type of business and the size of the budget. So who should you choose as your provider? Who knows enough about the specifics of warehouse operations and the tools that support their management and work?
The creation of warehouse facilities is conditioned by the projected development of the company. Before making a decision regarding the selection of warehouse software, a company must consider several available options and choose a system adapted to its development strategy. The vision of the company’s future fundamentally determines the actions that must be taken in connection with the selection and implementation of the entire warehouse system or its modules. It should be remembered that a warehouse system most often constitutes a supplement to an IT system already operating in the enterprise.
The basic questions that should be asked before proceeding to select a warehouse system are:
– what benefits will the IT system bring after its implementation
– which processes is the implemented system intended to improve
– will the implementation of the system allow for the realization of the goals set in the company’s development strategy.
An important element of the process of preparing for system implementation is determining the budget that the company has at its disposal. The size of the budget fundamentally narrows the area of search.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 4/2004.